Advanced Apache * Coco & LED
- Thread starter puffenuff
- Start date
Jonny Fly
Member
Regarding Apache LEDs- I saw their add two or three days ago and I was horrified by their prices. They were asking $1,200 for a 120 watt LED. Please tell me you didn't spend $1,200 on your Apache, because that's $10 a watt!!! which is totally insane!!! In fact I bitched them out in an email regarding their prices and how they make it impossible to by all American LED. I would buy an all US made LED if I could find some good prices, something competitive. I won't pay more than $2 a watt and that gives me enough to pick from several name brand lights using either Cree and/or Bridgelux (American made) diodes.
puffenuff
Well-Known Member
Thank you all so much. Im super stoked to start harvesting in the next couple weeks. They are all packed with trichs all over and smell spectacular. It will be tough to choose a favorite. Keep the comments rolling in, I'd love a smoke report if anyone has ever grown strawberry cough, I've had it before but mine looks a bit different. I'll be posting more pics later this week.
puffenuff
Well-Known Member
Sup Jonny! Thanks for stopping in and checking out my grow! No, I didn't pay $1200 for my light, paid $800 because I found it at growershouse at that price back when I purchased, but I bought it directly from apache by calling them and asking for it at that price, didn't want to buy from a hydro shop I knew little about plus pay for shipping when I could take a 20 minute drive and pick it up personally from the makers. I understand most people are put off by expensive purchases especially when there are cheaper options available. I had my reasons for wanting to try out apache tech (support both american and local business, if I ever need to have it repaired I can just drive it over to them and get a new one, quality design and components, industrial strength, the brains who designed and engineered them, the list goes on) and I'm glad I made the purchase, worth every penny to me. What I wanted was maximum performance at minimum wattage and I feel like that's what I'm getting. Plus, money aint a thing, I don't put a budget on my toys.
Eraserhead
Well-Known Member
Where can you get Cree made LED lamps for $2 per watt?
That's insane on the face of it.
That's insane on the face of it.
I'm really excited to see how that Apache Tech does. If I didn't build my own lights, Apache Tech would be very high on my list for lights to consider buying.
puffenuff
Well-Known Member
What's up, EH? Glad you stopped in and dropped a comment. I was going to ask mr jonny fly about those $2/w crees too, at that price sounds like either lies or panels using just a few crees and marketing them as cree panels.
I'm excited to see the final results of the apache too. So far it looks great and I'm happy with the white and red combo, just wondering how it would do if the ratios were flipped with more red than white...similar to your new panels. Which by the way, I'm always impressed with what I'm seeing here around the forum with them. Can't wait to see your latest and greatest, stay in touch my friend.
Eraserhead
Well-Known Member
What's up Puff?
I've been watching this journal from almost the beginning, it's getting pretty exciting.
I'm pretty sure he's talking about the Blackstar LEDs, he's posted a few times talking about "The all American Cree and Bridgelux Blackstar LED", something to that effect....
My newest light has Cree in them, the XPG R5's, I know for a fact regardless of buying power or quantity discounts, or even being cheap and using low bin (which is the opposite of what I do), once all the price factors are figured in, in addition to the LEDs, (labor, other parts such as drivers, fans, cases, wiring, shipping, etc) the seller of the light is paying more than $2 per watt, and that explains why LEDs using (actual) higher quality parts, will cost more to buy wholesale and retail.
I think white and red is the next trend for LEDs in the coming months, I've had the best of luck with that color mix. I'm still experimenting with other color mixes, but I think it might be awhile before I can improve upon what I have now.
The whites in the Apache Tech are warm white aren't they? That can explain the higher concentration of whites vs. reds. If they used natural white 3000-6000k, they'd probably use a 50/50 mix of that and red, or if they used cool white like I do, there's much more room for extra red, 1 white per 2 reds. I'm sure they're experimenting too with different color mixes, they know what works best for them.
Good luck with your last few weeks, I'll be watching
I've been watching this journal from almost the beginning, it's getting pretty exciting.
I'm pretty sure he's talking about the Blackstar LEDs, he's posted a few times talking about "The all American Cree and Bridgelux Blackstar LED", something to that effect....
My newest light has Cree in them, the XPG R5's, I know for a fact regardless of buying power or quantity discounts, or even being cheap and using low bin (which is the opposite of what I do), once all the price factors are figured in, in addition to the LEDs, (labor, other parts such as drivers, fans, cases, wiring, shipping, etc) the seller of the light is paying more than $2 per watt, and that explains why LEDs using (actual) higher quality parts, will cost more to buy wholesale and retail.
I think white and red is the next trend for LEDs in the coming months, I've had the best of luck with that color mix. I'm still experimenting with other color mixes, but I think it might be awhile before I can improve upon what I have now.
The whites in the Apache Tech are warm white aren't they? That can explain the higher concentration of whites vs. reds. If they used natural white 3000-6000k, they'd probably use a 50/50 mix of that and red, or if they used cool white like I do, there's much more room for extra red, 1 white per 2 reds. I'm sure they're experimenting too with different color mixes, they know what works best for them.
Good luck with your last few weeks, I'll be watching
puffenuff
Well-Known Member
Great info sharing, EH! Couldn't agree more about the cost/quality point, and your new light with crees sounds like it will be a winner.
Not 100% sure, but I think the apache uses 6500k whites as they were going for more of a complete spectrum like a dual arc hps rather than red heavy hps. I know they said they were experimenting with other models and I'm assuming other spectrums as well.
Thanks for the best wishes, much appreciated.
Not 100% sure, but I think the apache uses 6500k whites as they were going for more of a complete spectrum like a dual arc hps rather than red heavy hps. I know they said they were experimenting with other models and I'm assuming other spectrums as well.
Thanks for the best wishes, much appreciated.
newworldicon
Well-Known Member
Looking good...thank you kind Sir..
rippn13
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the grow journal... very informative. I went to Apache's site and they claim that their 120w light replaces a 600 HID. Would you agree with this? I am looking at switching over to LED's and was looking at High Tech Graden Supplies 7 band 435 watt light or the 864 watt light. They seem to be much cheaper than any of the LED's that most successful growers are using. This throws up a red flag in my mind. I agree with you that money is nothing when it comes to my toys and am not afraid to pay... as long as they work.
If anyone has any experience with HTG's lights please give a brief report.
If anyone has any experience with HTG's lights please give a brief report.
puffenuff
Well-Known Member
Brother Dawg, thank you for the compliment. And don't give me that bull about not being worthy, your worth shows brilliantly in your dawg house, especially the root porn. god I love your roots!
thanks, psua! Glad you are still enjoying the updates, I think you've been with me for several now (probably longer than anyone else?) and I always appreciate the comments/input.what can I say that hasn't been said before/ very impressive puff!..........Always a joy to see your indoor garden
don't care what anyone says that apache rocks/ worth it IMO
No problem, amigo. hope it helped give you better insight. Thanks for the compliment!
puffenuff
Well-Known Member
Hmmm, I hate to get caught up in the "this led equals this hid" conversations because I'm terrible at judging stuff like that. Since I haven't had a 600w hps for a while, and never used one in such a small space as I am using the apache, it's really tough to say and I don't want to give the apache more credit than it deserves nor do I want to knock it having not tried to max out its potential. Sorry I don't know the answer to your question. I could hypothesize all day long but that wouldn't benefit the thread much. PM me if you want some more details offline. I don't know much about the HTG leds other than they look damn near identical to blackstars which are supposed to be decent but at a sweet price. Hope that helps!
Psytranceorgy
Well-Known Member
G o r g e o u s
puffenuff
Well-Known Member
haha, yea the snow dream was one of my best runs so far along with the 3 kings. forget which one yielded more though...yeah that 180w (165-170ish actual i think) extreme is still kicking out solid grows. Sold it to a buddy a while back, think I posted some of his blue dream and blue cheese pics somewhere.